I shoot people and then I ask questions

We need to show alternatives and offer choices, and give perspectives, and sometimes we just need to be there

“Supervised injecting facilities, MSICs, DCR’s or whatever you want to call them, are not items which exist in a drug-using vacuum, nor should they be viewed simply as a means of steering people toward eventual abstinence from drugs. That might sell well politically to those who are unaware of the complexity of the issue, but its total nonsense. They can and should be part of a greater tapestry of work, and something that should exist knitted into other existing services, both medical and non-medical. Paradoxically they are an both an intervention in and of themselves, offering people who inject drugs a place that is clean, safe, and secure and are also part of a continuum of care, an entry-point for social care workers into the lives of people who are affected by a variety of issues, not just their drug use. They can be a place for psychosocial, not just medical, intervening. Or not, as the choice of the service user may be. And that’s an important piece to remember. Irregardless of how well -meaning many of us may be, we cannot force people to make change. It simply doesn’t work. We need to show alternatives and offer choices, and give perspectives, and sometimes we just need to be there. Our humanity can sometimes be the best thing that we can offer.”

#SaferFromHarm

– This interview is part of a collaborative campaign between Humans of Dublin and the Ana Liffey Drug Project to raise awareness of the importance of medically supervised injecting facilities in Ireland. For more information, please visit Ana Liffey Drug Project’s Website.